Jeff - I agree with you in principal; but experience has been that, if the thread protector weighs very close to the same as the muzzle brake, its effect is generally minimal. I would, of course, recommend some testing both with and without - and sometimes its like two different barrels - but a majority of the time they are similar enough to be feasible. In my personal .300 Win Mag, with a 24" Hart 1:12, there is no difference.